Clouds || E & C

nine

It's 5:55, and I'm dressed, but my mind is screaming 'no' to this. I still find it so extremely wrong that Ellie wants to go to a party, which is the definition of a social gathering that will require you to interact and speak to others.

Since when did she even do that?

Something's up. She doesn't go home today after coffee, telling me she's going for a walk. I know I probably shouldn't have pressed her in the coffee shop, but she didn't have to be so irritated either.

Actually, she's never snapped at me like that before.

I think I'm going. I've been to parties. I'm just worried about her, who is being really weird right now and has been for days now.

Honestly, I just want to talk to her. We haven't had a lesson since Thursday, and I'm pretty sure I have a huge test on Monday when school starts back. She's gotten me to finally care about my studies, but she's obviously learned all she needs to know with her own problems.

Guess Nate is all she cares about now.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I leave my house at 6:03. She won't leave without me.

"I knew you wouldn't pass up a party." Ellie says when I approach, standing on the curb of the street on her side. Her parents' car is gone, not surprisingly. "I also wouldn't pass up a date." I say, jogging to her.

She blushes immediately, giving me a little closure. There's the Ellie I know, cheeks always red.

"This isn't a date." she protests.

"It's practice. I'm your teacher, remember? I think we stopped after Lesson 7-"

"You mean this is like a pretend date? I have to act like it is?" 

"Yeah. Lesson 8: first date. Which happens to be a party. And it better be fun."

"I didn't think we were still doing that." she says shyly, meeting my gaze.

"Had enough of me now? Is Nate taking up all your time?" I have to say it.

"Carson." she warns as the guy himself pulls up in a silver Chevy, slowly letting the window down. Nate is on the football team at our school, and I really never had a problem with him, until he latched himself to Ellie. I've heard about his friends, the douches that always look for a girl to take and then leave her. For now, since I don't know him, I won't judge him.  "Hey." he says to her, and noticing me, he nods and says, "What's up, Carson?"

"What's up?" I return, nodding back. Nate isn't the biggest football player, but he's still burly at the shoulders, his hair the ideal brown buzz cut. He's got on a jersey now, representing our school team.

"Let's go." Ellie says, smiling. She pinches my arm after I open the front door for her, probably as a warning. But no worries, I will not be the jerk tonight.

We're on a date.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

The party ends up being near school, at one of Nate's buddy's houses. It's huge, loud, and dark inside; strobe lights of every color are the only forms of light that seem to flare everywhere as they revolve around the room. I recognize plenty of people from school just wading through the crowd.

I follow Nate and Ellie to the 'bar', where they serve the drinks. I'm definitely sure alcohol has been brought in one way or another. "Want something?" I yell to Ellie, trying to make myself heard. She keeps close to me, eyes wide. "Is there water?" I barely hear her say, and Nate laughs next to me.